Molecular Playground/Glutathione Reductase

One of the CBI Molecules related closely to studies being carried out at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Chemistry-Biology Interface Program at UMass Amherst in the Thayumanavan Research Group and on display at the Molecular Playground.



Glutathione Reductase  (GSR) - represented by green ribbons- breaks up  glutathione disulfide (molecule with two yellow spheres shown in the 3D graphic) to   Glutathione (has only one yellow sphere). Glutathione is an anti-oxidant molecule (which itself is made up of three amino acid molecules -glutamine, cystine and glycine) that keeps cells in "shape" ensuring other proteins in the cell soup don't get oxidized "burn up" and keep the cell machinery running.

 Here flavin adenine dinucleotide  (FAD) (flat molecule in the middle) another molecule that helps GSR to break glutathione disulfide bonds is juxtaposed up close to the glutathione disulfide molecule ready to break it up!

The tetrahedral structure floating besides glutathione disulfide and FAD is a phosphate ion representing NADPH (another molecule involved in this process) in the crystal structure.

Molecular Playground Banner: "Molecules that protect your cells from burning up"

Wikipedia page on GSR